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Keeping Social Media Social: The Best Times to Post for Engagement

07/17/18

So you’re curating amazing social media content like a pro and posting consistently, but it still isn’t driving the results you want to see. Maybe it’s merely a lack of brand awareness, or maybe it’s an unfavorable amount of likes and comments— in the cluttered social media sphere, you just want your efforts to come to fruition. Building up a social media presence is quite the task, and timing can play a huge role in your success. We’re here to help you figure out the best times to post for engagement with your audience.

Unfortunately, there’s no magic time to post that will guarantee success. Success comes with a careful balance between quantity and quality. After all, you can post as much as you want but you won’t grow your presence without audience engagement.

Long story short, it’s all about your audience and the platform you’re using. Your audience on Instagram will differ from your audience on LinkedIn, as these two demographics lead very different lives. Consider the audience you’re trying to engage and what their environment is like, both virtually and in real life. Who is your audience, exactly? What platforms are you posting on, and are they there too? What are they doing during your post times? What about in real life: are they home or at work? Are they on a lunch break or in class?

And while there may not be a magic time to post that will guarantee success, Sprout and Coschedule have found some optimal times with their magic formulas. The good news is, these formulas are all logic-based and highly modifiable!

Facebook

Facebook has a wide variety of users, and with its ever-changing Newsfeed algorithm, it is difficult to generalize. As the site is nearly always active, post times will depend more on your followers. Everyone is generally happier near the end of the week, so it makes sense that prime times for Facebook activity tend to be Thursday through Sunday from 12–4PM.

Instagram

While Instagram and Facebook’s feed algorithms are similar, Instagram typically targets a younger demographic. To target these audiences, post content during off-work hours on Mondays and Thursdays, and experiment with peak activity times such as 2AM, 8AM, and 5PM. The newest Instagram feed algorithm prioritizes engagements— the more likes and comments your post receives within the first few minutes may determine its placement on your followers’ feeds.

LinkedIn

As a professionally-oriented social media platform, LinkedIn users are most active during the week. Experiment with lunch breaks and pre- and post-work times, such as 7AM, 12PM, and 5PM.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a social media platform that targets toward DIY and leisure activities, so it’s logical that audiences will be more active on Fridays and Saturdays. Test out post times like 2–4AM, 1–4PM, and 9PM.

To customize these times to best suit you and your business, use the built-in analytical tools that these platforms provide. They’re user-friendly and easy to figure out, even for beginners.

While there’s no perfect time that works for everyone, there is one strategy that is proven to help: optimization. Track your social media posts on a spreadsheet. Record post times, engagement numbers, and other analytics. Find what works for you and follow your successes— but change it up every now and then, your audience might surprise you!